1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a process for the production of ethylbenzene and styrene.
2. Description of the Related Art
Styrene is an important monomer used in the manufacture of many of todays plastics. Styrene is commonly produced by making ethylbenzene, which is then dehydrogenated to produce styrene. Ethylbenzene is typically formed by one or more aromatic conversion processes involving the alkylation of benzene.
Aromatic conversion processes, which are typically carried out utilizing a molecular sieve type catalyst, are well known in the chemical processing industry. Such aromatic conversion processes include the alkylation of aromatic compounds such as benzene with ethylene to produce alkyl aromatics such as ethylbenzene. Typically an alkylation reactor, which can produce a mixture of monoalkyl and polyalkyl benzenes, will be coupled with a transalkylation reactor for the conversion of polyalkyl benzenes to monoalkyl benzenes. The transalkylation process is operated under conditions to cause disproportionation of the polyalkylated aromatic fraction, which can produce a product having an enhanced ethylbenzene content and a reduced polyalkylated content. When both alkylation and transalkylation processes are used, two separate reactors, each with its own catalyst, can be employed. The alkylation and transalkylation conversion processes can be carried out in the liquid phase, in the vapor phase or under conditions in which both liquid and vapor phases are present.
In the formation of ethylbenzene from alkylation reactions of ethylene and benzene, other impurities and undesirable side products may be formed in addition to the desired ethylbenzene. These undesirable products can include such compounds as xylene, cumene, n-propylbenzene and butylbenzene, as well as polyethylbenzenes, and high boiling point alkyl aromatic components, sometimes referred to as “heavies,” having a boiling point at or above 185° C. As can be expected, reduction of these impurities and side products is important. This is especially true in the case of xylene, particularly the meta and para xylenes, which have boiling points that are close to that of ethylbenzene and can make product separation and purification difficult.
Ethylene is obtained predominantly from the thermal cracking of hydrocarbons, such as ethane, propane, butane or naphtha. Ethylene can also be produced and recovered from various refinery processes. Ethylene from these sources can include a variety of undesired products, including diolefins and acetylene, which can act to reduce the effectiveness of alkylation catalysts and can be costly to separate from the ethylene. Separation methods can include, for example, extractive distillation and selective hydrogenation of the acetylene back to ethylene. Thermal cracking and separation technologies for the production of relatively pure ethylene can account for a significant portion of the total ethylbenzene production costs.
Benzene is obtained predominantly from the hydrodealkylation of toluene which involves heating a mixture of toluene with excess hydrogen to elevated temperatures (500° C. to 600° C.) in the presence of a catalyst. Under these conditions, toluene can undergo dealkylation according to the chemical equation: C6H5CH3+H2→C6H6+CH4 This reaction requires energy input and as can be seen from the above equation, produces methane as a byproduct, which is typically separated and used as fuel within the process.
In view of the above, it would be desirable to have a process of producing ethylbenzene, and styrene, which does not rely on thermal crackers and expensive separation technologies as a source of ethylene. It would also be desirable if the process was not dependent upon ethylene from refinery streams containing impurities which can lower the effectiveness and can contaminate the alkylation catalyst. It would further be desirable to avoid the process of converting toluene to benzene with its inherent expense and loss of a carbon atom to methane.